11-01-2013, 03:38 PM
There are probably plenty that fit but it's waiting for the right ones to turn up at a reasonable price, or finding them when looking around.
The BMW intercoolers seem pretty good. Long, vertically short, and fairly wide, but I think end tanks are often canted in a bit at the ends so you'd have to measure to be sure it'd work right. I looked at those a lot at first.
They also tend to be ~ £80 on eBay usually... unless you go scrapper hunting, but again it's time/money to go looking and maybe not find them.
Also OEM might tend to have funny sized unions, erring away from the common sizes you can buy after-market pipes to fit.
I tried finding all sorts (and bought all sorts), but when I saw people buying intercoolers new that just fit and having their car finished before I even had half my pipes (and plenty bought and was sent the wrong ones from scrappers!), I gave in and just spent £110 on a new FMIC and within a few weeks had an FMIC on my car hehe.
Kudos to those who do find bits and make a system fit but in the end you need to be getting your intercooler for sub £50 to make it worth it vs a £100 new one, simply because of the time/hassle of finding ones and making sure they fit, or buying extras in connections/bends to make them fit nicely.
Dave
The BMW intercoolers seem pretty good. Long, vertically short, and fairly wide, but I think end tanks are often canted in a bit at the ends so you'd have to measure to be sure it'd work right. I looked at those a lot at first.
They also tend to be ~ £80 on eBay usually... unless you go scrapper hunting, but again it's time/money to go looking and maybe not find them.
Also OEM might tend to have funny sized unions, erring away from the common sizes you can buy after-market pipes to fit.
I tried finding all sorts (and bought all sorts), but when I saw people buying intercoolers new that just fit and having their car finished before I even had half my pipes (and plenty bought and was sent the wrong ones from scrappers!), I gave in and just spent £110 on a new FMIC and within a few weeks had an FMIC on my car hehe.
Kudos to those who do find bits and make a system fit but in the end you need to be getting your intercooler for sub £50 to make it worth it vs a £100 new one, simply because of the time/hassle of finding ones and making sure they fit, or buying extras in connections/bends to make them fit nicely.
Dave